Buckle.



F. c. KITTREDGE.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 21,1915.

1,185,913. Patented June's, 1916.

j v v 11E 3 [/5 r /B 6 amnion WWW @4225 C22? 2 26 6 9 WW 7 W THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES FRANK o. KITTREDGE, or WELD, MAINE.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6,1916.

Application filed June 21, 1915. Serial No. 35,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F RANK C. KITTREDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Weld, in the county of Franklin and State of Maine, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to clasps or buckles or similar automatic connecting and attaching devices and has for its object to provide improvements with relation thereto, which will be superior in point of effectiveness of operation, convenience in use, facility in installation, and connection and disconnection with respect to the working position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple, and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very eflicient in operation.

With these and various other objects in view my invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be herein referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved buckle; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4l4 of Fig. 8; Fig. 5 shows the hook members of my device in their first'position for engagement; Fig. 6 shows the hook members in one position during the engaging operation.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which I will designate the three principal parts of this buckle by the numerals A, B, and C of which A and B designate co-acting hook members, and C a guard pivoted to the hook member A.

The hook member A is formed of any preferred metal and comprises a flat elongated shank 1 having a hook or bill 2 on its upper end, and a shoulder 3 formed on the shank portion adjacent the lower edge of the hook 2. This shoulder 3 I have shown in the accompanying drawings comprising the end' of a strap 4 which is fastened to the hook member A by any preferred fastening means i as shown at 5.

The hook member B is substantially the same size and shape as the above described hook member, and comprises a shank 6 having a hook or bill 7 and a shoulder 8 which is at one end of the strap 9,'that is secured to said member by any preferred form of fastening means as shown at' 10. The different parts of this hook member are positioned the same as those described in the hook member A as the said hooks are alike throughout their several parts.

The guard C comprises a rectangular shaped piece of metal 11 having downturned opposed edges 12 and 18. Adjacent the lower end of the downturned edges 12 of the guard C are apertures 14 through which are adapted to project pivot pins 15 secured in the side edges of the hook member A. These pins 15 are secured in or integral with the hook member A as may be desired and are positioned with respect thereto adjacent the lower end of thehook or bill 2 for a purpose to be hereafter more fully described. I

In operation when it is desired to. connect this buckle so the same will be held in operative position the hook members are positioned as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings,

and it will be noted that the hook member B is positioned between the hook member A and the rectangular shaped guard C and projects a short distance beyond the end of the said hook member A. After being placed in this position the hook member B is lifted to the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and then still further continued around until it takes the position as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. When the hook members of the buckle are in this positi on it will be noted that the hook member 13 and the guard C are completely swung around hook member A and the bills 2 and 7 of said members and*will interlock and prevent any disengagement of the parts of the buckle.

When the parts are in operative or locked position as above described any sliding movement of these two parts toward each other which would unlock the bills of the said members is prevented by the co-action of the upper ends of the said members with the body shoulders 8 and 3 on the shank portions of the same as can be readily seen.-

Furthermore it will be obvious that when the parts of the buckle are in position as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the shank member B will be prevented from projecting through the guard C and out the other side of the same by co-action with one of the downwardly sloping shoulders 13 of the same, the purpose of which is obvious.

It will be easily seen from the above description that I have provided a simple form of buckle which can be easily attached, the main features of this invention being that this buckle can only be detached or the parts broughttogether, when they are placed in one position, that is as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When in this position the two parts when swung one over the other and in conjunction with the guard C which covers the said parts will be prevented from becoming disengaged in any other position which the buckle may assume during its use. This buckle is especially adapted for use in buckling together lines, especially driving lines of horse teams, carriage harnesses or work horse harnesses. Its extreme simplicity of operation and the obvious manner in which it performs the objects of its use renders it advantageous over devices of this character now in general use.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device the manner of applying the same and the operation thereof will be readily understood and it willbe seen that I have provided a very efficient means for carrying out the objects of this invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described comprising a hook, a guard pivoted on said hook shiftable toward and away from the same when swung on opposite sides, and an additional hook insertible between the guard and the aforesaid hook when the former is shiftable from the latter, and interlocking with the said first named hook when the guard is shifted toward the same.

2. A device of the character described comprising a hook, a guard pivoted on the shank portion of said hook adjacent the bill and adapted to swing over the same, and an additional hook insertible between the guard and the shank of the aforesaid hook and interlocking with said first named hook when the guard is swung over the same.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hook, a guard pivoted on the shank portion of said hook adjacent the bill and adapted to swing over the same, an additional hook interlocking with the said first named hook, and stops on the shank portions of said hooks co-acting with the upper end of the adjacent hook when the said hooks are interlocked.

4. A device of the character described comprising a hook, a rectangular shaped guard having downturned edges, two opposed edges of said guard extending below the others and pivoted at opposite sides of the shank portion of the hook adjacent the lower edge of the bill of the same, an additional hook adapted to be interlocked with the said first named hook, and stops on the shank portions of said hooks contiguous to lower edges of the bills thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK C. KITTREDGE.

WVitnesses CYRUS N. B'LANCHARD, GLADYS PARKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

